This is not a trip report, but rather a brief mention of the places where
we had most luck, of accommodations which we found at the smaller localities,
and of people whom you might come across. Keep in mind that some of the birds
we saw were in feeding, moving flocks.

The areas mentioned are in the southern part of the state of Tamaulipas
and in the state of San Luis Potos very near the border with Tamaulipas.
El Encino, Las Calabazas, and Llera are on Highway 85 between Ciudad Victoria
and Ciudad Mante. Llera is about 60 kilometers from Cd. Victoria, I believe.
The turn-off to Gomez Farias is 100 km south of Cd. Victoria. El Naranjo
is more or less west of Cd. Mante on Highway 80. Both Gomez Farias and El
Naranjo have been centers for Christmas Bird Counts, so descriptions of the
areas are in the birding literature.

EL CIELITO

The road from El Encino to La Libertad was closed for repairs. We went
on down to Las Calabazas and turned toward the Rio Sabinas and the village
of El Azteca. There were some birds in the area of the bridge. Nothing extraordinary.
Took the road from El Azteca to La Libertad, which runs parallel to the river.
Just before getting getting to La Libertad, there was a grassy shallow gully
where a bull was tethered, then a small hill. Here were a good number of small
birds on both sides of the road. The river side of the hill was planted with
cactus.

On the east side of the river at La Libertad were more birds. Within the
first 30 or 40 yards, on the north side of the road, we found Tamaulipas
Pigmy Owl.

We had to arrive at Alta Cima before dark, so we moved on without exploring
any further.

LLERA

Just before the road to Llera de Canales cut off to the right from the
main highway, we stopped on the side of the road and did pretty good. There
was an open field to the west, with trees on the other side of it. Right
across the highway was a building with power lines and trees in front of
it. Less than a block behind us, were orange groves. Between the open field
and the orange grove on the west side of the highway, there was a narrow
dirt road. We walked along that road for a couple of blocks and had good
luck. The grass and weeds on the south side of that road had a good number
of birds. The trees on the right did too.

There is a flea bag sort of place in Llera which can serve for sleeping
in case of emergency. (Hotel Morelos, phone 3-01-12). It is across from
the central plaza.

The last gasoline station on the way to Canindo is on the left as you
continue down the highway.

LA BOCATOMA

About a mile or two after turning off the main highway onto the road to
Gomez Farias, there is a dirt road that goes south. A sign for La Bocatoma
Restaurant marks the place. The early part of this road has grassy fields
on both sides, with trees lining the east side. We had some good birds here,
including Yellow-green Vireo. After you enter the town, there is an intersection
with two signs (1.7 miles?). One indicates the restaurant to the left, about
a block away. The other indicates "El Balneario", a park, to the right (west).
The park is along the river. It was OK. It gave the impression of good potential.
GPS reading: 22 deg 59.50 N, 099 deg 08.78 H.

Back on the "main" road, at a Y maybe BD mile or so, there is a Cerveza
Superior sign indicating "La Bocatoma" (the place). Go down the right to
where the canal starts. To the right there is access to the river. There
is a boat ramp. This small place was good. (GPS: 22 deg 56.26 min N, 099
deg 08.78 H) The road along the canal did not show much more than promise.

Note: The Langostino back at the restaurant is a bit expensive and not
very filling. Ordering a kilogram of it for the three of us gave us more
for the same cost than individual orders.

GOMEZ FARIAS

Neat, picturesque town. Past town, on way to Alta Cima, keep to the left.
Not far down, there is a sign indicating the ways to Alta Cima. To the right
if by foot or burro, to the left if by vehicle. This was a good place, especially
up the foot road.

You can reach Alta Cima in a 2wd vehicle.

When we asked about accommodations in GF, we were directed to some small
buildings across from the "Casa de Piedra", a stone house with such a name
embedded in the stone of its fence or its front wall (left side of street
going toward Alta Cima). The buildings were we were directed looked too
decrepit. We moved on without talking to the owner.

Somewhere, close to the government building (across from the plaza), there
is a public phone "booth" (caseta de telefono), from where you can make calls,
or from where you can contact people up in Alta Cima or San Jose by radio.
Likewise, you can call this caseta from the U.S. in order to contact people
in those remote areas. It works, I believe, as follows: You tell the person
operating the booth the name and location of the person that you want to contact,
and you give them the message that you want relayed. They will relay the
message through radio and wait for a response while you hold on the phone.
When the response comes back to them through the radio, they relay the message
to you. The phone # of that caseta is (123)2-43-89.

ALTA CIMA

This was a good place, all around. Not many birds can be seen at Canindo
which cannot bee seen here, I believe. We engaged Antonio Berrones Martinez
as a guide for N$50 for one day. His brother, Rosalio B. M. is in charge
of El Pino, the rooms where we stayed for one night for N$100. One room will
accommodate four people in bunk beds. Camping is allowed on the "hotel" grounds.
Simple, non-meat meals can be fixed at the restaurant for you. If you want
a meat dish (chicken), you need to let them know with plenty of time. They
sell a few tourist items at a couple of places there, but we did not look
into it.

When you arrive at Alta Cima, the road divides into a Y. The left will
take you to Canindo, although you come to a wire gate in front of the restaurant/store.
That gate is there to keep livestock out, according to Rosalio. The other
branch of the Y also comes to a wire gate. Past the gate is the old road
which, I am sure, is now the "foot path" indicated by the sign outside Gomez
Farias. We asked Antonio to take us down that road. It was OK, but not great.
We had good luck within the village between the base of the Y and the wire
gate. That old road drops quickly into a "canyon" mentioned by Ro Wauer in
A Naturalist's Mexico. Early in the day we heard a lot of bird sounds.

We really did not do Alta Cima justice. We spent too much time in Canindo
and not enough in Alta Cima.

CANINDO/SAN JOSE

I did not take a sleeping bag because of space considerations. Zarkosi
and Stilwell did. I developed a skin fungus shortly after returning from
Mexico. I suspect the bed at Canindo because it was stained with mildew.
However, I do not really know where I got infected. We spent three nights
at Canindo. I consider it a two-niter, at best (relative to the time spent
on the trip). The rooms were quite ample. Four single beds in each. I already
sent you a copy of the information which I sent Mark Elwonger on how to arrange
a stay there. Let me know if you need it again.

The best place there was just before and after the gate leading to San
Jose. We had a very busy time one morning. The road on down to San Jose
was also good. We heard and saw Mexican Whip-poor-will there, although the
sighting was from a distance at dusk. They "fly-catch" from tree tops. Elegant
trogons were up the slope behind cabin # 12. A grassy valley within BD mile
or so before the station was also good. Again, the birds move on.

The first houses into San Jose belong to the Cedillo family. Two young
brothers, in particular, seem to be a bit adamant in wanting to benefit
from the visitors to Canindo. Their community made an agreement with the
state government in which they feel they are being short-changed. At the
time that we went there, they were requiring visitors into their community
property to hire a guide. They say that it is actually an agreement made
by ALL the ejidatarios (community property owners) in the region. Hiring
a guide from any of the ejidos allows free entry to any of the ejidos. Hiring
a guide from San Jose would allow free camping in their community property
area, according to one of the brothers. The other brother is building a four
room "hotel" which he wants to finish in by January. He welcomes campers
to his hotel property. These brothers were rather aggressive, in my opinion,
in trying to profit from the visitors. They pressured for at least N$100
for "guide" service performed by a youngster.

EL NACIMIENTO

On the way to El Naranjo, on the loop around Ciudad Mante, on the southwest
side of the city, past the entrance to the large sugar cane processing plant
which is off to the left, past the railroad, look for a sign on the right
to El Nacimiento. Take the dirt road which goes along the side of the canal.
You can follow it for a mile or two until it comes to the small lake and park.
This was a good area. It includes Hooded, Altamira, and Common Yellowthroats.

EL SALTO

I assume that you have an El Naranjo CBC count circle map. It shows the
road to El Salto, which goes off to the right (north?) a mile or two before
entering the town of El Naranjo. This road was good at several places where
we stopped along the way. Right at the intersection of this road with the
main highway there was a pond with the water held there by a small levee.
It was good. The area at El Salto proper was OK, but not great. Watch out
for the seed ticks.

On the way to El Salto, before the hydroelectric plant, there is a hotel
named Las Cabanas (tilde over the n) del Salto. No hot water. Apparently
no longer popular since the falls disappeared.

At the Y whose left side goes to El Salto, we took the right, rode the
dust for miles (7 or 8) through sugar cane fields until we crossed a bridge
over running spring water. A fellow led us to the left, through cane fields
to a spot where there was another spring. (GPS: 22 deg 34.03 N, 099 deg
27.83 W [I do not know how reliable this reading was]) This was a good place.
Falcons and other raptors overhead.

EL NARANJO

Hotel del Valle, tel/fax: (136)6-02-70, was a nice place in a dusty town.
Tamaulipan Crow.

ROAD TO AGUA ZARCA

Places along the side of the road allowed birding, but only two turned
out to be exceptional. The first one was past El Sabinito, around marker
141 (we believe). It may have been around 8 am. We could hear Military Macaws
to the north. Soon we had them flying overhead, while others could still be
heard in what was probably their roost.

Not far beyond that spot was a cemetery on the right (not easily visible).
Beyond that is a flat, straight stretch of road. At the beginning of this
stretch, just before the sugar cane field on the right side and the orange
grove on the left side, was a very good place. A lone tall tree about maybe
80 yards on the right side attracted many birds. The thick brush along the
side of the road had its share. More Military Macaws passed overhead.

ROAD TO LAGUNA LARGA

Not great, but arid country with low brush provided new species of birds,
included Spotted Wrens. We could not get to the lake. Time ran out. We had
to head back.